Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Neurosurgery >
  • ... >
  • Patient Stories >
  • Cranial Nerve Disorders >
  • Jason Pavlich
Neurosurgery
About Us
Contact Us
Conditions and Treatments
Brain
Spine Neurosurgery
Neurophysiology
Meet the Neurosurgery Experts
Patient Stories
Brain Tumors
Chiari Malformation
Cranial Nerve Disorders
Movement Disorders and Epilepsy
Neurovascular
Pituitary
Spine
Classes, Events, & News
Neurocirugia
Neurosurgery
About Us
Contact Us
Conditions and Treatments
Brain
Spine Neurosurgery
Neurophysiology
Meet the Neurosurgery Experts
Patient Stories
Brain Tumors
Chiari Malformation
Cranial Nerve Disorders
Movement Disorders and Epilepsy
Neurovascular
Pituitary
Spine
Classes, Events, & News
Neurocirugia

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

Jason Pavlich: Hemifacial Spasm

Despite various treatments, Jason endured worsening facial spasms for more than three years. Read Jason Pavlich’s story.

For Jason Pavlich, the facial spasms started in 2020 with a tingle on the left side of his head. Then, it developed into an occasional twitch in his left eye. By the time he saw a local neurologist about a month later, he was experiencing intermittent muscle spasms around his eye.

“It just kept getting progressively worse,” says Jason, 45, of Red Hook, located in the center of the Hudson Valley in upstate New York.

The Challenge

Jason was diagnosed with hemifacial spasm, a disorder of the nerves and muscles that causes involuntary twitching on one side of the face. It is a condition usually caused by a small blood vessel pressing on a facial nerve. An MRI later confirmed the diagnosis. But in Jason’s case, the culprit was a large vertebral artery.

Over the next two years, Jason followed various nonsurgical treatments suggested by his doctor. In addition to eliminating alcohol and caffeine, he took anticonvulsants and Parkinson’s disease medicine. He eventually tried BOTOX® injections*. But Jason’s spasms continued to worsen, becoming more frequent and eventually involving the full left side of his face. His symptoms progressed so much they interfered with daily activities such as reading and driving.

“None of the treatments had any lasting impact and my symptoms kept progressing,” says Jason. “I became very self-conscious.

“But there was no hiding from it. I’m constantly interacting with people,” adds Jason, who teaches advanced chemistry at Red Hook High School and coaches the school’s varsity girls soccer team.

“I was very upfront about it with the kids. I told them there’s something wrong with my face, it’s a neurological issue, I’m seeking medical help, and I’m trying to get it fixed.”

The Path to UPMC

After exhausting nonsurgical treatments, Jason’s neurologist recommended he see a specialist. Jason reached out to a prominent academic hospital in New York City where a neurosurgeon recommended relieving pressure on the nerve through a microvascular decompression (MVD) procedure. However, because it involved a larger vertebral artery, Jason was told that he would have to spend several days in the hospital, including two days in the intensive care unit, and would likely need a spinal drain. He was also told that there was a high chance of hearing loss.

“I visited the hospital and was all set to have the surgery there,” says Jason. “But this was brain surgery, so I decided — with the neurosurgeon’s blessing — to get a second opinion.”

Based on recommendations from multiple other doctors, Jason contacted the Neurosurgery Department at UPMC Presbyterian in August 2023. He was referred to Georgios A. Zenonos, MD, a UPMC neurosurgeon and specialist in skull base surgery. Dr. Zenonos directs the UPMC Cranial Nerve Disorders Program and is co-director of the UPMC Center for Cranial Base Surgery.

After talking together by phone, Jason arranged an in-person visit to meet with Dr. Zenonos. Dr. Zenonos also recommended MVD surgery — the only known permanent treatment for hemifacial spasm. However, because of the size of the artery, he also recommended inserting a small sling to pull the vessel away from the nerve.

Jason and his wife also toured UPMC Presbyterian and visited Family House, a nearby nonprofit residence where patients and family members can stay when traveling to Pittsburgh for medical care.

“I liked Dr. Zenonos very much. The fact that he specializes in skull base surgery was important,” says Jason. “But what made me choose UPMC was the feel of the hospital. Everything felt calm and quiet. Having access to Family House was a big factor, too. Everything just added up.”

The Solution

In October 2023, Jason underwent minimally invasive MVD surgery at UPMC Presbyterian. During the procedure, Dr. Zenonos made a 1.5-inch incision behind his ear. He then performed a performed a craniotomy, making a small hole in his skull to access the artery.

To relieve pressure on the nerve, Dr. Zenonos used the sling technique to pull the artery away. He also inserted a sponge-like material to keep the nerve and artery separated.

Jason spent two nights in the hospital — on a regular floor in a private room — following surgery, staying one more night than originally planned to be sure there were no issues. No ICU or spinal drains were necessary.

The Results

As the swelling subsided following surgery, Jason noticed his spasms were becoming less frequent and intense. Within a few days, they had stopped completely.

“It was great. For the first time in two years, I had no spasms,” says Jason.

After a follow-up appointment with Dr. Zenonos at the end of the week, Jason was cleared to make the seven-hour drive — with his wife at the wheel — back home to Red Hook. He has since made a full recovery, experienced no hearing loss, and returned to the classroom four weeks after his surgery.

“There are days when I forget I ever had surgery,” says Jason. “And I haven’t had a single spasm. It’s nice not to be self-conscious every time I talk to someone.

“I’m very grateful for the excellent care I received at UPMC,” he adds. “It was definitely worth the drive.”


*BOTOX® is a trademark of Allergan, Inc.

UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login